Build it Better
by WriterLeigh
Summary: This will be the first time she's seen her in close to eight months, and though they've talked every day recently, she's under no illusions about their future. There's too much water under the bridge and they're not the same two people who once promised each other forever. Maybe this will work out or maybe it won't. But they won't know if they never try. Calzona. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys,_

_I've been wanting to write a fic following up on Arizona's exit from Grey's for quite some time, and it is finally seeing the light of day thanks to the nagging of a very persistent friend of mine. It's been a while since I've written anything fanfiction-related at all because I've been trying to focus on my original fiction projects. I have several incomplete fanfiction projects, which I will return to at some point. _

_This story will be Calzona end-game, but it also will take a while to get there. It's not all going to be rainbows and roses, because with everything these two have been through, I don't feel like that jumping straight back in and playing happy families is entirely realistic. _

_Rating will probably change from T to M at some point. _

_I hope you enjoy!_

_Leigh_

* * *

**BUILD IT BETTER**

**CHAPTER ONE**

"Mommy, are we nearly there yet?" Arizona can feel the faintest strains of a headache beginning to brew near her temples because Sofia hasn't stopped asking since about halfway through their flight. Each time she's managed to occupy her attention with the in-flight entertainment, lunch and then the second Harry Potter book, but - almost 5 hours in - she's rapidly running out of distractions.

Thankfully, she's prevented from replying by the Captain's voice ringing through the cabin. "Ladies and gentlemen, we will shortly be landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport where the local time is 3:58 in the afternoon and the temperature on the ground is 71°F."

This is followed by an announcement from the flight attendant, which Arizona is barely paying any attention to. As the plane descends lower, from her window seat Arizona begins to check out her surroundings. She watches the Long Island beach dunes come into clearer focus and her stomach muscles tighten, feeling the plane shudder a couple of times and then tilt to the right. "Sof, is your seatbelt fastened properly?" She checks for what feels like the fiftieth time.

"Yes mommy," Sofia replies patiently.

Arizona tries to focus on the view outside the window. The plane is now flying over the Hudson and if she wasn't feeling so apprehensive - both about the flight and the sudden decision to pick up their entire lives and move - she'd enjoy the view of Manhattan from the sky. They drop beneath the clouds and now they're flying low enough to see the cars driving below.

"You can let go of me," Sofia complaining brings her back to the present and Arizona notices that she has her daughter's hand in a vice-like grip.

"Sorry baby," she lets go of her, inhaling deeply a couple of times and willing her body to relax.

"I'm not a baby," Sofia protests, "And I'm not afraid... I've done this a million times now," she exaggerates, rolling her eyes in a way that reminds Arizona of Callie.

"Okay Little Miss, that's enough from you!' She tries to look serious, but there's a gentle smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Let's tidy the rest of your stuff away, we'll be landing in a few minutes!" She puts Sofia's book and coloring pages in her sparkly purple backpack, just as the airline crew announces their final descent.

Sofia's face breaks into a wide grin and she launches herself awkwardly into Arizona's side, "Thank you, Mommy! I love you. I'm so excited."

"I love you, baby." Arizona pushes one of Sofia's dark strands of hair back from her face. Ever since she set the wheels of their move in motion, she's been silently having reservations but Sofia's excitement is reassuring and reminds her why she made the choice in the first place.

The plane touches down onto the tarmac with a slight jolt and begins taxiing towards the gate.

"On behalf of your captain and crew on board this flight today, we would like to welcome you to New York and to thank you for flying Delta Airlines. You may now remove your seatbelts, and move freely around the cabin. Please be mindful when opening the overhead bins, as your bags may have moved around during the flight." All around them people start standing and reaching across each other to gather their possessions. Arizona makes Sofia remain seated until the activity around them has died down. The passengers are starting to be ushered off the plane, from a door at the front. They are seated not far from the back, so they're the second last set of passengers to exit the plane.

Arizona steps down onto the concourse, turning to lift her daughter down off the step which is slightly too tall for her to reach the tarmac. Clutching Sofia's hand tightly in her own, and with her brother's old army kit bag sagging on the floor behind her, they make their way into the gate.

They navigate their way around a hoard of German-speaking tourists, waiting in the international border control queue - and to a thankfully shorter domestic arrivals line, which they clear easily.

They've traveled light, only bringing one suitcase. Anything which she knew Callie had no particular attachment to was either donated to thrift shops or rehomed by Alex and Jo. The rest of their possessions should be arriving at the new house by the middle of the next week, and half of Sofia's things traveled to New York with Callie the first time, so Arizona has packed just enough to tide herself over until then. They round the corner from the baggage claim hall. Baggage in tow, it means that Arizona struggles to hold onto Sofia's hand and they keep having to stop to readjust their bags. Eventually, when the crowd around them has thinned a little, she lets go of her daughter's hand. "Stay right in front of me Sof," she warns, pausing to hoist the kit bag further up onto one shoulder.

The anxiety that has been rolling over her gently since she woke up this morning is now coming in full force, like waves that are now crashing against the rocks at the prospect of seeing Callie again. It almost reminds her of the early days of their relationship. This will be the first time she's seen her in close to eight months, and though they've talked every day in the weeks its taken to sort out her transfer, she's under no illusions about their future. There's too much water under the bridge and they're not the same two people who once promised each other forever. _Maybe this will work out or maybe it won't._ Arizona unconsciously tucks a strand of hair behind one ear, momentarily abandoning their bags in the middle of the long corridor.

There are escalators and elevators to take them down to ground level. Given the bulkiness of the suitcase, the elevator would probably have been more practical but judging by the swarm of people crowding around it, they'd either be like sardines in a can or waiting for a while. Escalator it is then.

The arrivals lounge comes into view, people start lining either side of the walkway with welcome signs for their loved ones. Out of the corner of her eye, Arizona watches a young soldier being greeted by his family and she becomes teary. Tearing her eyes away, Arizona scans the crowd, searching for Callie. "Okay Sof, keep your eyes out for Mami!" She instructs her daughter as they walk through into the main part of the hall.

Frowning, she reaches into the side pocket of her bag, fingers closing around her cell phone and fishing it out. She waits for it to power on, so she can call Callie and let her know they've arrived. "Mommy, Auntie Addison!"

"What Sof?" Arizona replies distractedly, frowning at her phone's lack of connectivity to the network. "Have you found Mami?"

"No Mommy, but I can see Auntie Addison!" The little girl replies patiently.

Arizona's head shoots up from her phone and her gaze follows the direction of Sof's waving hand. Sure enough, Addison Forbes-Montgomery is stood leaning against the wall with a Starbucks cup in one hand and a serif-typed sign in the other. They're just about close enough to see that it reads Sofia's name. "Mommy, can I?" Sofia looks to her, asking permission to go to her. Arizona glances at the distance between them and Addison before allowing its. "Go on then!" She watches as Sofia almost trips over herself in her eagerness to greet Addison, chuckling slightly when she takes the redhead by surprise and forces Addison to readjust her grip on the coffee cup.

The lines on Arizona's forehead deepen. The last text she has from Callie - only a few hours previously - said that she couldn't wait to see her. And while they hadn't discussed their travel arrangements, if she's honest with herself, Arizona fully expected that it meant Callie would be there to meet them when they arrived.

_Had she suddenly got cold feet about this entire move? _Their exchanges over the last few weeks had been fun and familiar, but at the same time, it felt like there was something new between them. They'd kept it light and with no pressure on either side, but somehow without meaning to - and despite the logical part of her brain saying otherwise - Arizona realizes in that moment, she wants this to work more than she's been pretending. _And even more so, she feels hopeful._

Swallowing down her disappointment, Arizona makes her way over to them. Sofia is chatting away animatedly to Addison so she just stands there, waiting for her to finish speaking or to pause for breath - whichever happens first. Eventually, Sofia runs out of steam.

"Addison, it's good to see you again," Arizona says awkwardly. Despite Addison being one of Callie's best friends, they've only met a few times before because Addison lives on the West Coast. She's seen her once since their divorce was finalized when Addison had been requested to operate on a former patient in Seattle.

If Addison detects the confusion in the blonde's voice she doesn't let it show, knowing she's the last person Arizona was expecting to meet them at the airport. "You too. How are you? How was your flight?"

"It was okay," Arizona offers with a shrug, "I mean - no one lost any limbs," she forces a laugh, noticing that Addison isn't sure whether she's supposed to be amused by it. It dispels a little of the tension in the air between them and Addison's face breaks into a grin. "What brings you to New York? Last I heard, you were enjoying LA."

"I'm consulting on a case at Mount Sinai. Quints at 18 weeks," Addison explains. "So all staying well, I'll be in the city for a few months. Actually, I was hoping you wouldn't mind taking a look with me?"

"Of course," Arizona acquiesces easily, knowing what a delicate balance it'll be for her keeping mom and all five babies healthy. "We've got a few weeks before the Robbins-Herman Center opens and once we're all settled, I'm sure I'll be climbing the walls."

"Mommy, can we pleaseeee go see Mami now?" Sofia interrupts their conversation with a pleading glance towards Arizona, who gives Addison a sideways look, inviting her to reply.

Addison tosses her Starbucks cup into the trash can next to them, "Let's get out of here."

They make their way out of the terminal, walking across three crosswalks and into the underground parking lot, stopping next to Addison's gleaming midnight-blue Lexus. She unlocks the car remotely and Arizona lifts her luggage into the trunk, while Addison checks that Sofia is safely fastened in the back.

"Okay, let's get this show on the road!" Addison starts the car and expertly navigates their way up to ground level. They exit the parking lot and immediately get stuck in traffic. "Welcome to New York," the redhead laughs.

_'__And to our new beginning' _ Arizona thinks with a quick glance back at Sofia, before leaning out of the window to fully take in her new surroundings.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! :) Would love to hear your thoughts on this opening chapter - constructive criticism is completely welcomed!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey guys_

_Thank you all so much for the comments on the first chapter, and for all the favorites and follows. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the beginning. Thank you also to the two constructive reviews I received - I've been back into the chapter and fixed the error, and really appreciate it being pointed out. Sometimes these things just escape me! _

_I hope you all continue to like this and will try to update again soon. _

_Leigh. _

* * *

**Chapter Two **

Clothes are strewn over every available surface and you could be forgiven for thinking that some kind of natural disaster had hit. As it is, Callie Torres is sat on the floor in the middle of the chaos, sans clothes and wrapped in only a towel as she has been for the better part of the past three hours.

Her phone buzzes several times in quick succession and after spending a good few minutes searching, she tracks it down beneath a pile of shorts. It vibrates again in her hand, alerting her to not one but three new messages. Two are from Arizona, one sent well over an hour ago and another from twenty minutes ago. The last one is new though, from Addison.

**Picked up your girls ;)**

Callie rolls her eyes at the winking emoji, knowing that Addie is simply trying to elicit a reaction. She finds herself hesitating over the text back where she's adamantly denying that Arizona is _her_ anything and reaching a decision, she deletes the words she's just typed. Eventually, she settles on sending her just a simple thumbs up. Addie has been questioning Arizona's motives for the move and Callie's feelings about the whole situation ever since she told the redhead the news. It appears that she is unsatisfied with her reluctance to discuss it because Addie has taken to winding her up about it at every available opportunity. If Callie knows Addie at all, she's sure Arizona won't have escaped the ride home from the airport without being subject to an interrogation. She makes a mental note to check in with Arizona later, chucking the phone to one side and going back to surveying the contents of her closet.

This should not be so difficult, and Callie doesn't know why but she's nervous. Palms-sweating-heart-thrashing-wildly-against-her-ribcage-nervous._ It's only Arizona,_ she thinks pacing up and down. Arizona, who just agreed to uproot her whole life and relocate to New York. _Only your daughter's other mother. _

_Only your ex-wife_, interjects the little voice in the back of her head that she's been trying to ignore. Now that she thinks about it, that voice sounds remarkably like Addison.

They've been through hell and back - together and apart - more times than she can count, and Callie knows her better than she knows - _knew_ herself. Maybe that's the problem though. Callie knows that she's changed since moving to New York - before that even, and she also knows it isn't realistic for her to have been expecting Arizona to have stayed the same. This idea of an Arizona who is a complete stranger doesn't sit comfortably with her though, and the idea of having to get to know her again fills Callie with something that feels a lot like dread. _What if they start over and realize that they no longer have anything in common? What if they get to know each other again and Arizona decides she doesn't like what she finds? _

_Then it doesn't matter, because they're doing this for Sofia. _Callie has to remind herself for the hundredth time that Arizona's reasoning for the move is purely because she has their daughter's best interests at heart because otherwise, her brain starts getting carried away with the possibilities.

In the year and a half since she moved to New York with Penny, Arizona has been nothing but nice to her - and though she knows that a huge part of that has been for Sofia's benefit - privately she's not sure she could have maintained her dignity and discretion if the roles had been reversed. Callie has never admitted it to anyone, not even Addison, but when she thinks about how everything transpired, she feels a deep sense of shame. It had taken distance from the situation and Sofia moving back in with Arizona, for her to realize that all along her ex-wife had been the bigger person. _What if she still resents her for it?_

Heat spreading up over her neck and cheeks, Callie takes a deep breath and focuses her attention on the dresses hanging over her bedroom door, in an attempt to stop herself spiraling. She critically eyes them both, before rejecting them with a sigh. Her phone starts to ring, the sound muffled by her clothing but still audible enough that it makes her heart sink because that ringtone on a day off can only mean one thing. "Torres," she barks, snatching up the offending item and wedging it between her shoulder and ear.

"Uh-huh... Mmm.. uh-huh," she listens to what's being said on the other end of the line, a frown forming and deepening the more she hears. "Okay, okay.. talk to his family, prep him for surgery and book an OR. I'll be there as soon as I can."

She ends the call and begins sifting through the clothes on her bed. Within a matter of minutes, Callie is fully dressed and while multitasking, manages to swallow down a few bites of an apple and scribble a note for Addison and Arizona. Pushing her disappointment to one side, she checks the front door is locked and focuses her attention on the task ahead.

* * *

Arizona lets a loud sigh escape as the car crawls forward a half a meter and comes to a stop in standstill traffic. They've been getting nowhere fast and it's forty-five minutes since they left the airport. Addison has all the windows rolled down to combat the New York City heat, but with the car not moving it is proving ineffective, and Arizona can feel beads of perspiration forming on the back of her neck.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were eager to be somewhere," Addison teases giving her a sly sideways look.

Addison's direct manner always phases Arizona, and she finds herself flustered and not knowing how to respond. "It was a long flight and the plane was really cramped," she casts around for the right words, settling on something just south of the truth. "I just really need to stretch my legs." She always struggles with her prosthesis when it's warm and right now, is feeling more than a little discomfort.

"Uh-uh," the disbelief in Addison's voice makes it clear that she doesn't believe her. "You look very dressed up," she comments pointedly, changing tack and leaving her words hanging but her inference is crystal clear.

"Alex got married," Arizona replies firmly, ensuring that Addison knows that in no way is her choice of dress for Callie's benefit. "Things got a little out of hand and the ceremony ended up being delayed. Sof and I literally had to head straight for the airport." Again, she goes with the truth but something about Addison makes Arizona feel unexplainably flustered.

Addison stifles a chuckle, sensing the other woman's discomfort and dials it back a little. "Amelia mentioned that Alex was engaged," she comments. "I just didn't think -" she hesitates. "He's come a long way from having sex with attendings in on-call rooms."

"You and Alex?" Addison laughs at the incredulous look on Arizona's face.

"I guess Callie never mentioned it."

Arizona laughs too, "Well I guess that explains how he got into peds," she jokes. When they've finished laughing, she picks up a new line of conversation. "So you and Amelia talk often?"

"She's the only one of Derek's sisters who would give me the time of day after we got divorced," Addison says like that explains it all. "Come to think of it, they never particularly liked me much when we were married. Amelia and I had that in common, so I guess that's why we get along so well," she muses. "But we try to call each other once a week," she finishes in answer to Arizona's original question, checking her mirrors before switching lanes.

"So are you staying with Callie?" Arizona asks when they come to a stop at yet another set of red lights.

"No, I'm not," Addison gives her another knowing look, which Arizona tries to ignore although she can feel the heat rising in her cheeks. The redhead doesn't comment on it though, instead choosing to elaborate on Arizona's question. "I have a townhouse overlooking Central Park," she explains. "It's weird actually because it's a stone's throw away from the house Derek and I bought when we practiced here," There's a drawn-out pause as she reflects on her words and contemplates how to continue. "That house was always his dream and truthfully I hated it. God knows what made me sell the Hamptons house and buy one," Addison almost snorts, creeping the car forward an inch and diverting the conversation back to Arizona. "So, Callie says you're already closing on a house?"

Arizona nods, "There are several good schools within driving distance for Sofia, and I'll be able to walk to work. Callie met with the realtor and looked around to make sure there were no real problems with it. The previous owner wanted a quick sale and they've already vacated, so it'll be ours by the middle of next week."

They fall into silence, and finally, the traffic seems to have begun moving at a steady pace. Arizona catches a couple of sidelong glances from Addison, but she chooses not to comment on it, casting around for a different topic of conversation. "Did your family come with you to New York?" She has never met them, but she knows Addison is married now with an adopted son who is about the same age as Sofia.

Addison tucks her red tresses behind one ear, "Oh no, they're back in LA," she replies. "I wasn't sure how long I'd be in the city and we didn't want it to affect Henry's schooling. He breaks for summer in a few weeks, and Jake's got some vacation time booked so they'll be flying out east then." Something about the conversation seems off. The redhead's voice seems strained, and Arizona is just about to change the subject when Addison speaks again. "We decided that we could probably use a little time apart," She admits.

Arizona doesn't know what to say to that. "So you and Callie?" Addison asks the open-ended question, with an unnerving return to her light and breezy tone of voice. "New York is a big move, a bold choice." It seems they've danced around it long enough.

Arizona shifts uncomfortably in her seat, "It's what Sofia needed," she shrugs, the words rolling off her tongue easily - probably a measure of how many times she's parroted that phrase over the past few weeks. "Things weren't working the way they were, so something needed to change."

"But you and Callie?" Addison pushes again and a part of Arizona wonders if her ex-wife has put her up to this.

"My main concern is figuring out a way for us to co-parent again. Beyond that, I haven't really given it much thought." She doesn't miss the incredulous look on Addison's face and though her cheeks burn fiercely at the blatant lie, her gaze doesn't waver from the redhead's.

The corners of Addison's lips twitch like she's trying not to smile.

"I'd like to think we're on our way to becoming friends again," Arizona answers eventually caving, casting her mind back over their text message conversations. She subtly checks her phone and tries not to visibly react when she sees that the two messages she sent to Callie have now been read, with no reply. "Anything else is off the table."

"For now or forever?" Arizona looks like she's contemplating how to politely decline answering and Addison seems to realise that she's stepped a boundary too far. "I'm sorry, that's really none of my business," She surprises Arizona by apologising. "For what it's worth, Callie and I have barely talked about it but I think she has high hopes for you moving here."

Arizona nervously glances back at Sofia, who fortunately seems to have fallen fast asleep. The little girl is incredibly perceptive for her age and Callie and Arizona have never been entirely sure, how much of what's happened between them Sofia has picked up on. The troubled look on her face smooths out and she contemplates her next words carefully before speaking them.

"I guess you can never say never," she answers finally.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey guys, _

_Thank you so much for all the comments you've left on the previous chapters, for all the follows and favorites. It's making me really happy that you're all enjoying this story so far. Thank you also, to my friend Natalia for constantly asking for updates and practically forcing me to write. I sometimes don't think these chapters would see the light of day without her!_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter lovelies. _

_Once again, thank you for reading._

_Leigh._

* * *

**Chapter Three **

The journey from the airport seems to take forever. What should have been about an hour has taken them almost three. Arizona can feel her leg cramping and is relieved when Addison pulls the car up outside a parking garage. The car park attendant approaches the vehicle and she gets out of the car to speak to him, motioning for Arizona to do the same. Arizona unclips Sofia's seatbelt and the little girl stirs, opening her eyes and blinking due to the sudden brightness. "Wake up sleepyhead," she teases gently. "We're here." Suddenly any trace of tiredness on Sofa's face has vanished and it's replaced by a look of excitement. She almost trips over herself in her eagerness to get out of the car. Arizona laughs brightly.

Addison has already opened the trunk and their bags are now sitting on the sidewalk. She takes the ticket offered to her by the attendant and hands over her car keys. "We've got a few minutes to walk," she says to Arizona. "Street parking is non-existent in this area and this was the closest garage with space."

Arizona hoists her kitbag onto her shoulder. "Sof, grab your backpack for me please sweetie," she instructs her daughter. She moves to reach for their wheeled luggage but Addison grabs it first, "I've got it." Her heels click against the pavement as she walks, Arizona and Sofia trailing along in her wake. The blonde's stomach rumbles loudly when they pass a street vendor and the scent of meat being grilled fills her nostrils. After Alex's wedding buffet had been ruined they'd gone for an impromptu beer and a burger at Joe's, but she and Sofia had left before they sat down to eat. Sofia ate a snack on the plane but Arizona hasn't eaten since breakfast.

They turn right at the next intersection and after a few more minutes come to a stop. "This is us," Addison says, gesturing towards the fancy awnings and the doorman stood waiting outside the Park Avenue building.

"Good evening Dr. Montgomery, Miss Sofia." Bending slightly he high-fives the little girl and makes her giggle. "A pleasure as always."

"Good evening, Eduardo," Addison replies, flashing him a smile. "This is Arizona Robbins. She just moved to the city so I'm sure you'll be seeing a great deal of her."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dr. Robbins," Eduardo addresses Arizona directly. "Welcome to New York. If you need anything while you're here, please don't hesitate to ask."

_This is a far cry from Seattle_, Arizona thinks. It's going to take some getting used to, that's for sure. "Thank you," she replies gratefully.

Eduardo buzzes them into the building and Arizona does a double-take upon taking in her new surroundings for the first time. Sofia leads them to the elevator and they all pile in. "5th-floor mommy," she says to Arizona, who is standing nearest to the control panel. The doors close and the elevator begins to move. No sooner have they opened, then Sofia is off and down the hall. When they reach Callie's pad Addison pulls out the spare key card she has for emergencies and lets them inside.

They're standing in a reception room with stark white walls and high ceilings Arizona has seen it on Facetime when Callie and Sofia moved in, but this looks so much bigger. To her left is a large winding staircase and she _hasn't even seen the rest of the apartment but she's in awe. _

"CALLIE," Addison calls loudly, alerting the Latina to their presence, her voice echoing in the silent house. Beige floor tiles change into dark wood laminate as they follow her down the hall and into a little dining area. "Please tell me you've managed to put on some pants while I've been gone," Addison shouts again, shooting a look at Arizona. The blonde laughs but her nerves are beginning to resurface at the prospect of finally seeing Callie again.

"Mommy, can I show you my room now?" Sofia begs, impatiently. It's clear she doesn't appreciate the tour.

Enjoying her daughter's enthusiasm, Arizona easily agrees. She picks up Sofia's backpack from where the little girl has abandoned it in the middle of the floor and allows herself to be led upstairs.

By the time Sofia has exhausted everything she has to show Arizona, the floor is strewn with toys and clothes are hanging out of the closet. Her excitement combined with the long day they've had seems to have worn her out, because when Arizona turns back around from picking things back up, Sofia is fast asleep on the bed.

Deciding to leave her for the time being, Arizona makes her way back downstairs and rejoins Addison in the kitchen. The redhead glances up at her presence and waves a post-it note towards her. "This was on the fridge," she says. "Callie's been called into emergency surgery. She says she hopes it won't take too long, and that she went grocery shopping yesterday, so you guys should help yourselves to anything if you're hungry."

At the mention of food, Arizona's stomach starts protesting again, loud enough for Addison to hear. They both laugh. "Did you want to stay for something to eat?" The blonde offers.

Addison checks the time on her cell phone and shakes her head, "I've gotta head out," she replies, "Every night before he goes to bed I read a chapter of Henry's book with him." Arizona nods in understanding. "Callie's invited me to brunch with you guys tomorrow though. I hope that's okay," the redhead checks.

Arizona smiles warmly at the other woman, "of course," she answers easily. 'I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other while you're in New York, so we might as well get to know each other."

* * *

The resounding beep from the monitor fills Callie's ears. Her head feels a thousand miles from her body, and she vaguely hears herself call the patient's time of death. Stepping away from the body, she numbly makes her way to the scrub room, peeling off her gloves and shrugging off the blood-splattered plastic coverall. She's dimly aware that it's done little to protect her scrubs but barely pays them any attention. She's focused on scrubbing her hands with soap so fiercely that she doesn't notice the water beginning to scald her skin. _How had this happened?_

Callie blinks, noticing the water has suddenly stopped running. She looks up from the sink to see her fellow attending and friend, Julie Miller watching her cautiously having shut off the faucet. "You doing okay, Torres?" She asks, and Callie feels a surge of irritation at her words. Of course, she isn't okay.

She swallows back the tears that aren't far from the surface, "I'm fine," she grits out. Barely recognizing the tone of her own voice, Callie forces herself to take a breath because Julie doesn't deserve to bear the brunt of her frustration and guilt. Julie wasn't the one who fought so hard for an alternative treatment plan. _That was all on her._ "I just - I thought we had him," she sighs, roughly pushing the back of her hand across her eyes. She glances back through the glass separating them from the surgical room, to where the patient has now been covered by a sheet. "What if we waited too long?" She manages, giving credibility to the voice inside her head. "What if I made the wrong call?"

Julie places a gentle hand on her arm. "Callie, you didn't do anything I wouldn't have done. If I thought you were doing it for the wrong reasons, I'd have challenged you. This isn't on you, okay?" She tells her sternly like she knows what's running through her head. "You couldn't have predicted that outcome. None of us could." Her friend gives her a gentle squeeze before retracting her hand and straightening up. "Go change out of those scrubs and clean yourself up." From where she'd been stood, Julie had managed to avoid the majority of the blood. "I'll go and inform the family."

"I can do that," Callie protests, though her insides are churning at the thought.

"I know you can, but I'm telling you you don't have to," Julie replies patiently. "I'm not gonna pretend that I understand how you feel, but I know the situation is close to you. I'm giving you an out, so take it. Go and get cleaned up and then go home and hug your little girl."

At the mention of Sofia, Callie eventually concedes defeat. Julie's become a good friend to her since she moved to the city. "Thank you," she chokes slightly on the words, trying desperately to keep her emotions in check.

She thinks she's going to let it pass without comment, but her friend turns back to her, propping the door open with her body. "You're human, let go of it." Julie doesn't give Callie the chance to respond before leaving the little room.

Callie rewashes her hands and leaves the little room. She knows it's a bad idea, but it's like her legs are on autopilot. She has no control over it when they carry her down the corridor towards the family room. Every day, those four walls bear witness to the worst day of a person's life, to the news no family wants to hear and today is no exception. They're soundproofed for privacy so Callie can't hear, but she watches frozen, through the narrow glass window in the door. Julie seems to be trying to encourage the patient's mother to sit, but it's clear that she's refusing, seemingly ignoring the surgeon and continuing to pace the floor. It seems to unfold in slow-motion and Callie can pinpoint the moment that her friend breaks the news because the other woman collapses to the floor. Her husband stoops to comfort her while fighting back tears. Their other son sits in his chair unmoving, the distress clear on his face.

Finally able to tear her gaze away, Callie closes her eyes, angling her body away from the room. She swallows hard but it does nothing to dislodge the lump in the back of her throat. She makes the mistake of looking down and catches sight of the dried blood on her scrubs. Her stomach lurches and there's a half-second of realization before she bolts, only just making it to the nearest bathroom in time.

Still dry heaving, and struggling to rid herself of the burning sensation in her chest, Callie straightens up, panting hard and flushes the toilet. It's only after toeing open every cubicle to make sure they're empty she allows herself to break down, an anguished sob tearing its way out of her throat.

* * *

It is just after nine in the evening when Callie eventually lets herself back into her apartment. Her eyes are bloodshot and watery and she's nothing short of exhausted. She's taken a shower at the hospital and changed into yoga pants and an oversized sweat top. Fully expecting Addison to have dropped Arizona and Sofia off at a hotel after they found her note, it takes her a few moments to register the scent of cooked chicken wafting down the hall and she sends up a silent thank you to her best friend for taking the time to cook for her. Callie hangs her coat in the hall closet and toes off her sneakers.

It's funny, the difference a few hours makes. Six hours ago her biggest concern was finding something nice to wear for Arizona's arrival. She laughs hollowly, thinking back.

_Though it's probably just as well she won't be seeing her tonight, _Callie thinks, catching sight of her reflection in the mirror as she passes. She winces at her appearance, dragging a hand through her still damp hair in a misguided attempt to tame it.

Callie stops in the kitchen doorway, just about to announce her presence. Addison's name dies on her lips, when her eyes land on her ex-wife at the island in the middle of the room, chopping tomatoes.

For a second, time seems to stop and the only sound Callie can hear is the sound of her heartbeat hammering loudly in her ears. Arizona hasn't noticed her standing there yet, so Callie just stands and stares. It's as though they've gone back in time, back to a time before plane crashes and lost limbs, before marriage counseling and custody battles. _Back to a time before everything changed. _

The months they've spent apart seem to fall away as she watches Arizona effortlessly move about her kitchen, singing along to the radio while she works and knowing where things are almost as well as Callie does. The only thing that's different is the delicious aromas emanating from the stove because it's a widely known fact that Arizona once managed to start a fire making grilled cheese.

It is so quiet you could hear a pin drop when Arizona eventually seems to realize she isn't alone in the room and clocks Callie hovering by the door. She rounds the kitchen counter and moves so that they're standing feet apart.

A stunned silence hangs heavily over them and the air between them is thick with tension as they share the closest proximity they've been in, in just under a year. There have been times where she hasn't been able to bear looking at Arizona; times, where it's enraged her and times where it has physically felt like her heart, is breaking inside her chest. Now Callie unconsciously drinks in every inch of her and her heart flares with relief and something she doesn't care to put a name on because Arizona already feels familiar.

Standing barefoot on the kitchen tiles, in yoga pants and a tank top, _Arizona feels like home._


	4. Chapter 4

_Author Note: _

_Thank you all so much for the reviews for the last chapter, and for sticking with me while we navigate these early waters. I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far. I'm really sorry about the delay in getting this chapter out to you. My MacBook finally gave up the ghost, so I had to wait for my replacement and since then I've just been busy busy busy! I have a relatively light schedule over the next week so hopefully, the next chapter won't be long to follow. _

_As always, I hope you enjoy and love hearing what you think._

_Leigh_

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

The silence stretches between them, neither wanting to be the one to break it. Arizona is all beaming smiles and bright eyes and Callie's eyes never leave hers, seemingly forgetting how to form words. "Hi," she says eventually, feeling her cheeks heat up and realizing with irritation that they must be turning red.

Arizona's smile widens - if that's even possible. "Hello Calliope," she replies, Callie's name rolling off her lips like a litany, a prayer.

The words are music to Callie's ears. No one has called her Calliope in a long time. It took almost a year for Penny to learn her full name and even then it hadn't sounded right. _Because she wasn't Arizona, _said the subconscious voice in her head. "Hi Arizona," she repeats, internally cringing as she hears herself trip over the words. "You look great," she adds, consciously aware that she's staring but powerless to do anything about it.

"So do you," Arizona replies.

Callie raises her eyebrows. "Yeah, I look so hot after spending four hours holed up in a stifling OR," she snorts, all too aware that her shirt is sticking to her back - even despite her shower - and her eyelids feel uncomfortably puffy.

Arizona laughs. "How was your surgery?"

"How was your flight?" Callie asks, abruptly changing the subject because she doesn't trust herself to talk about her day without letting her emotions get the better of her again.

It takes Arizona a few seconds to register the diversion and Callie sees the moment she realizes because the brightness in her eyes dulls slightly. It's not the first time she's put that look there and it's this thought which causes her to backtrack. "I'm sorry, I just don't really want to talk about it," she apologizes around a new lump in her throat. Whether that's because of the day she's had or the look of sympathy that's now on Arizona's face is anyone's guess.

"Hell of a day, huh?" The blonde seems to be hesitating over something and Callie wonders if she knows her indecision is playing out across her features. Arizona reaches out and awkwardly pats her on the arm.

Callie jumps, startled by the sudden unexpected contact. Her jerking movement makes Arizona jump too and she pulls her hand away, leaving a trail of goosebumps in her wake. Her cheeks are now flushed and judging by the inferno Callie can feel rising on her face, they probably match. "Sorry I -" the Latina starts at the same time as Arizona starts apologizing. They're in sync as they wave away the other's apology and then simultaneously start to laugh.

"This feels weird to you too, right?" Callie checks, addressing the elephant in the room.

Arizona flashes her another mega-watt smile, their shared laughter seeming to have dispelled a little of the tension in the air. "Super weird," she agrees. "I wasn't expecting that, but I'm glad it's not just me."

"I wasn't sure what to expect," Callie says honestly in return. "You being here feels kinda surreal." She tests the waters with a fraction of the truth because for months she's wanted nothing more to share the same airspace as Arizona. Even before she and Penny completely crashed and burned, but especially recently. She'd spent many a night after Sofia moved back to Seattle nursing a large glass of wine and perusing Arizona's recent Facebook photos. That was until Addie had stopped by one night and caught her. The redhead had given her a stern talking to and threatened to change her password unless she got a grip. After that episode, Callie didn't dare mention that she was reconsidering her move across the country. It's a truth too far tonight, so she won't admit it to Arizona, but before the blonde told her she was moving to New York, Callie had almost talked herself into making the move back to Seattle.

Arizona looks like she doesn't know how to respond to Callie's statement and the Latina wonders if she's maybe been too honest. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here, I've missed Sofia," she says hastily. "Where is she?"

Arizona nods her head towards the hall and motions for Callie to follow her. Sofia's bedroom door is slightly ajar and a warm orange glow appears in the open space. Quietly, Callie gives the door a gentle push and they both draw a breath when it creaks loudly. Sofia doesn't stir though. She's sprawled out on top of her duvet like a starfish, her mama's unruly curls falling down across her face. It's a measure of how deep a sleep she's in because she still doesn't wake when Callie - unable to help herself - brushes them back from her face. "Wow, that flight must have really taken it out of her," Callie muses.

"We had an early start this morning," Arizona explains. "It's funny, Alex's wedding feels like a lifetime ago."

"She looks like an earthquake wouldn't wake her," Callie answers, her tone rising to its normal level and matching Arizona's.

"I wonder which parent she gets that from," the blonde jokes.

Callie is about to retort when the small of burning permeates the air overriding the delicious smells she inhaled when she walked in. "Uh - Arizona, did you need to check on the oven?"

A panicked look crosses Arizona's face and she curses under her breath, darting out of the room.

Callie follows, holding in her laughter until she's pulled Sofia's door shut. When she goes back into the kitchen, she finds that Arizona has already removed their food from the oven and started to plate it up. "Everything okay?" She checks with a smirk, dodging the dishtowel Arizona throws in her direction. The look which accompanies it isn't an unfamiliar one to Callie and she'd seen it numerous times over the course of their relationship. _Some things never changed. _This knowledge fills Callie's heart with warmth.

"I hope you're hungry," Arizona's musical voice interrupts Callie's wander down memory lane.

Her stomach chooses then to emit a low rumble. Until the other woman had asked, she hadn't noticed how hungry she felt. Her nerves had prevented her from being able to eat all day and the hours spent in surgery have left her drained. "Starving," she replies, acknowledging the truth to her response. "That smells really great." Arizona has opened a window and the burning smell has disappeared leaving strong aromas of garlic and chicken. "Do you need any help?"

Arizona puts the plates back into the oven to keep warm and then breaks in half some spaghetti over a steaming pot of water. "I've got this," she assures her.

"Can I at least pour us a glass of wine? Lord knows I need it." As she speaks, she passes behind Arizona and grabs two glasses from the cupboard above their heads.

When she whirls back around, Arizona is standing behind her, a bottle of wine in her outstretched hand. "I don't mind if I do."

It's so brief, she may be imagining the slight tremble in Arizona's hands as she fills the glasses. Suddenly she's looking anywhere but at her, and it's probably the emotions from a mentally taxing day, but she feels like she could do something to regret in the cold light of the next morning. "I'm gonna go and wake Sof," she mumbles, backing out of the kitchen. _She actually mumbles. Who is this and what has she done with Callie Torres?_

* * *

Arizona stands there in the kitchen staring after Callie's retreating back. _What on earth was that all about? _She's so distracted that she forgets to stir the pasta on the hob and only just manages to prevent it from bubbling over. She can pinpoint the exact moment her daughter's other mother wakes her because Sofia's shriek is so loud, it makes her jump and this time, slop boiling water over the edge of the pan. It touches her hand and she lets out a yell. The skin immediately starts to blister and she hurriedly thrusts her hand under the faucet.

Her cry has Callie running in from the bedroom, Sofia balanced on one hip in a way that she looks far too grown up for. "What happened? Are you okay?" Callie asks and Arizona is relieved to see that the weirdness between them seems to have left the room with her.

"Burned myself on the pasta," Arizona answers, gingerly taking her hand out from underneath the running water to examine it.

"Put that back under the water," Callie tells her, only to be met with an eye roll and a mock salute.

"I need to serve the pasta," Arizona protests.

"Sof, can you lay the table for mommy?" Callie puts their little girl back on the ground, wincing slightly and trying to get some of the feeling back into her arm.

"You really are getting too big for that," Arizona comments, noticing the pained look on her ex-wife's face. She goes to move her hand again, and it doesn't go unnoticed by Callie. She receives another fierce glare and decides it's probably in her best interest to leave it where it is.

* * *

They sit down to eat and conversation flows easily between them. Callie sighs happily when she tastes the first bite of her meal. "Wow Arizona, this is amazing! How did you - I mean -" she trails off, looking sheepish.

"Well I had to do something," "For the first six months after we separated, I lived on hot pockets and the Chinese takeout guy was the most consistent person in my life," Arizona laughs. "Then De Luca moved in and he enjoyed cooking so it worked for both of us. When Sofia came back to Seattle, I decided I should probably learn a little."

"What do you think, Sof?" Arizona smiles, running her fingers through the dark curls. Sofia looks up from her plate and both of her mothers' have to stifle their laughter because she has tomato sauce smeared across one cheek.

"I think Little Miss really enjoyed it," Callie says, unable to keep the grin from out of her voice.

Sofia shrugs, "Meh, it was alright," she answers, feigning disinterest. "Carina's was still better."

Arizona had chosen the moment before to take a large gulp of her wine and her eyes widen, registering Sof's words. She finds herself choking and when she calms down, she swears the temperature in the room has become several degrees warmer. Ducking her head, she can't quite bring herself to meet Callie's eyes.

"Who's Carina?" Callie asks, breaking the silence. The happy little bubble they've been in since they sat down seems to have abruptly popped with the mention of the Italian. Arizona chances a glance at her ex-wife and she has the sudden urge to laugh at the expression on her face like it's left an unpleasant aftertaste in her mouth.

"I - uh - I think that's a conversation best left for another time," Arizona answers, dragging her bottom lip between her teeth.

"She's mommy's girlfriend," Sofia elaborates for her, in-between inhaling another mouthful of her dinner.

"What have I told you about talking with your mouth full?" Arizona admonishes her daughter with an unusual sharpness, eyes darting between Sofia and Callie.

Sofia drops her fork against her plate with a clatter. "I'm done now anyway Mommy," she answers back.

Callie looks down at the rest of the food on her plate. Her food swims before her eyes and the emotions of the day seem to be catching up with her again. "I'm done too," she announces, pushing her plate away from her.

Grateful for something to do, Arizona gets up and starts piling up their plates. Catching sight of the wall clock, she turns her attention back to Sofia. "Almost bedtime for you, Sof," she comments with an unnerving return to her soft tone of voice.

Sofia pouts, "I'm not tired no more, Mommy."

"Anymore," Callie corrects her. "Your mommy's right, but if you want we can read a chapter of your book before bed." As she's speaking she finally acknowledges Arizona again and the blonde nods her agreement.

* * *

A smile touches Arizona's lips as she listens from the hallway to Callie's reading. She puts on different voices and a snort escapes Arizona when her ex-wife reaches Dobby's lines. Her daughter's laughter fills her ears and however awkward and uncomfortable this feels right now, she's hopeful they'll find their way. Tearing herself away from the scene in front of her, she heads back into the kitchen and starts to fill up the sink with water.

She's elbow-deep in soapy dishwater when Callie returns fifteen minutes later. "I do have a dishwasher you know?" The Latina teases, making her jump for the second time that evening. This time soapy water splashes out of the sink. When Arizona's nerves settle, she's relieved that Callie is speaking normally to her again.

"Listen about what happened back there -" the blonde starts, intending to explain that she and Carina had broken up when she decided to move to New York. She remains focused on her task, grateful to not have to look at her, just in case bringing it up again causes Callie's frosty exterior to reemerge.

Callie shakes her head, "You don't owe me an explanation, Arizona," she cuts her off firmly. "Just because you've uprooted your life for me, it doesn't mean that what you choose to do - who you choose to date - is any of my business."

"Did Sofia fall asleep okay?" Arizona asks eventually, more as a means to fill the silence than anything else. Callie's abruptness has made it abundantly clear that she doesn't want to discuss it anymore, and it's been a long day so maybe it's a conversation best saved for another day.

"Out like a light," Callie affirms. "We didn't even make it to the end of the chapter. She laid down on the bed and she was asleep in minutes."

Arizona puts the last of the dishes on the drying rack, stifling a yawn and loops the towel through the handle on the oven door. "I should get out of your hair too. I don't think I'll be far behind and I need to go check into my hotel."

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" Arizona has known Callie long enough to detect the uncertainty in her offer - to know she's wondering if she can take her words back. She probably only offered out of politeness so even though the thought of getting a cab across town isn't appealing, Arizona makes up her mind to decline. Then Callie continues speaking, "I have a spare room and it's getting late."

Arizona's leg is starting to feel the over-exertion of the day and she'd give anything to be able to take the weight off and not have to move again until morning. "Only if you're sure," she answers, making up her mind and trying not to let another yawn escape.

"I'm gonna turn in now anyway, so I can show you to your room.." There's a question in her voice and now Callie is looking at her expectantly.

Arizona grabs her wheeled suitcase. "Lead the way," she replies agreeably. Callie reaches for her kit bag before she can, and heads for the door, flicking off the lights as she goes. Arizona follows her down the hallway, pausing to look in on Sofia, before pulling the door gently closed.

Callie pushes open a door on the right. "This is your room," she announces, unnecessarily because she's already put Arizona's kit bag down next to the bed. "If you get hungry, feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. The bathroom is at the end of the hall and there are towels and spare toiletries in the closet on the right." Callie pauses, stepping out into the hall and pushing open the door opposite "If you need anything else, just knock."

Arizona smiles gently, "Thank you, I'm sure I'll be fine," she hovers in the doorway, wondering if this feels as weird for Callie as it is to her. "I'll see you in the morning Calliope. Goodnight." She forces her gaze away from her ex-wife, training it on the wall behind her.

"Sleep well, Arizona!" Callie replies, the first to break the deadlock by going into the room and shutting the door.

Arizona stares at the closed door for a few seconds, before retreating to her own room. When the door is closed, she leans against it, sliding her body down until she's sat on the floor with her back against it. Her hair falls across her face and she rakes her hands through it in frustration.

Until now she's taken everything about the move in her stride, but now she's in Callie's spare room and she's confronted by the reality of what it's going to mean having the Latina back in her life. In the eighteen months since she'd moved to New York with Penny, Arizona had made her peace with their divorce and forced any lingering feelings for Callie into their box of memories in the back of her closet. She's gotten used to not seeing Callie every day and in time had a developed a relationship based purely on co-parenting Sofia.

But now Arizona is here in her guest bedroom,_ her ex-wife is literally across the hall from her _and she doesn't have the first idea how she's going to do this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author note: **

_Hey everyone! _

_I'm starting this chapter off with an apology for the delay in updating. I never intended to leave it so long, but a combination of my already fragile mental health, the bereavement of a friend and trying to complete NaNoWrimo for the 10th year in a row, has left me seriously overstretched. The good news is that NaNoWriMo has drastically increased my productivity, so I'm optimistic that you won't have to wait so long for the next update._

_Thank you all so much for reading and leaving your comments because I appreciate them so much. As always, thanks also to Natalia for her constant harassment. I swear I'd never get anything on paper if it wasn't for her. _

_I hope you all enjoy this chapter. _

_Leanne_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Behind her closed door, Callie paces the bedroom floor, fighting the impulse to go back out into the hall and do something she'll probably regret in the cold light of the next morning.

If she'd waited a couple of seconds longer, she'd have sensed the blonde's momentary hesitation before retiring for the night. Frustrated with herself, she sinks to her knees and rakes her hands through her hair putting out a silent prayer the universe that helps her get over this - whatever it is that she's feeling for her ex-wife.

Her physical attraction towards Arizona has always been strong - even during and after the divorce. It is intoxicating - Arizona has a way of commanding her attention without saying a word. She gives a whole new meaning to the term ocean eyes. They have all the warmth of an arctic blast when she's furious and looking at her feels like being plunged into an icy lake, but when she's happy they're the brilliant blue of a cloudless summer sky.

Lifting up the edge of the duvet, she begins pulling out shoeboxes from under the bed. Most of them actually do contain shoes, but there are a couple which contain photographs and a box of Sofia's baby memories. Callie finds the box she's looking for, slightly bigger and covered in a layer of dust.

Clothes are still strewn across her bed from the morning. Callie picks them up in three armfuls, depositing them in a messy heap in her closet and quickly shutting the door on it before anything can fall back out. That's tomorrow's problem. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she pulls the box towards her and almost reverently, lifts off the lid.

Inside it is full to the brim with memories of their relationship, although truthfully it's been damn near impossible to compact everything down into such a small box. Their wedding album takes up a considerable amount of space and it's this which she turns her attention to first, reverently turning the pages. She pauses on a candid photo taken of them, searching for anything in their expressions which could have suggested their relationship was going to go up in flames, as she's done many times over the last few years. As usual, she finds nothing. She idly wonders if she had known how things would turn out, whether she'd still have made the same choices and until tonight she hadn't been sure. Maybe it was having not seen Arizona in so long which had offered her this new perspective, but it didn't seem to matter what they'd been through - they always found their way back to each other. Ordinarily, Callie doesn't believe in destiny, but this… every road seems to lead back to her. Seeing her standing there in her kitchen, she knows she could never have made any other choice.

Putting the album to one side, she lightly fingers the other items in the box including tickets from the movie they saw on their third date - a horror which she'd only agreed to because she didn't want Arizona to think she was scared. In the end, she'd ended up spending a good portion of the movie hiding her face in Arizona's neck, and the blonde had teased her about it for weeks. There's a Seahawks scarf that Arizona had bought for her when she took her to her first football game, unable to believe she'd never been. She'd claimed not to enjoy it, but knows it won't have escaped Arizona's notice that she'd appropriated one of her jerseys after the outing. She still has it somewhere in the back of her closet. There's a series of mementos from their wedding, the cake topper and a wedding favor and a series of polaroids from the pop-up booth they had. Looking at their relationship condensed down into the contents of the box makes her heart ache and going down memory lane always does this to her, but it still seemed like a good idea. Replacing the contents, she puts it down beside the bed and miserably climbs beneath the covers. It's going to be a long night.

* * *

Callie sighs with frustration turning over again in the bed and wincing at the glare from the digital alarm on her bedside table, reflecting the time back at her: 2:58 am. She watches it flick over to the hour, having seen in the midnight hour, 1 am and 2 am. She's slept intermittently, in thirty-minute increments but can't seem to stay asleep. Every time her eyes drift shut, her mind occupies itself with dreams of Arizona and the life they used to have, thoughts chasing each other through her head.

A loud bang echoes down the hall and Callie jumps. There are the usual traffic noises and emergency vehicles, the sounds of pedestrians on the sidewalks below - all the things you expect from inner-city living - but living alone, she's gotten used to her apartment being quiet. She listens carefully, and another set of noises has her pulling herself upright and getting out of bed.

A chink of light beneath the kitchen door cuts through the darkness and Callie makes her way towards the source of the disturbance. Arizona is sat at the island eating a bowl of cereal and drinking a glass of chocolate milk. "I am so sorry if I woke you," she apologizes around a mouthful of Cheerios when she catches sight of Callie stood in the doorway.

"You didn't," she assures her.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?" Arizona finishes the bowl and stands up to put it in the dishwasher.

The Latina is distracted by the movement, or rather, the fact that Arizona is stood there in just a cami and a pair of short sleep shorts. "Something like that," Callie replies, tearing her eyes away and feeling grateful for the low light hiding the rising color in her cheeks.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Callie considers Arizona's offer for a second but knows eventually that she's going to have to say something, Addison's voice in the back of her head. "How was it today with Addie?" She counters the question with another question, buying herself some time to get her head together.

Arizona seems almost nervous when she replies. She ducks her head slightly and a wave of blonde hair falling across her face makes it impossible for Callie to decipher her expression. "It was nice to meet her properly," she said eventually. "She asked me to help her with her case, and she seems to get on well with Sof. I never figured her for a kid person."

Callie laughs, "When I first met her, I thought the same," she replied easily, noticing that Arizona has just managed to dodge her question in the same way. "Henry has definitely changed her though."

"Have you met him?" Arizona visibly seems to relax a little when the conversation is diverted into safer waters.

"Only once, but he seems like a sweet kid. I had a few vacation days that needed to be taken so I decided to visit Addie." Callie's words have taken on a slight edge. She doesn't tell Arizona that the California trip had been a way to take some space from Penny and their - whatever was left of their relationship. She doesn't tell her that she was originally coming back to Seattle instead to visit Sof and their friends but rebooked the flight at the last minute because going to Seattle would be going back to everything she was trying to move on from.

"Was Addie - did she say anything-" Callie tries again awkwardly. If Addie has spent that long trying to convince her that she's playing with fire, she can't help but wonder whether she's subjected Arizona to the same treatment. "Did she talk about me?" She asks eventually.

Arizona's lips curl up in a playful smirk and Callie wants nothing more than to bury her face in her hands at the way she's outed herself. The way Arizona is looking at her makes Callie think that she thinks her ex-wife put her best friend up to it. Callie inwardly groans. "She was very interested to talk about you," the blonde teases and Callie's heart does a dip in her chest. "And our relationship," Arizona says the last part so casually that her heart misses a beat. She's gonna kill Addison when she gets her hands on her tomorrow.

"I told her to leave you alone," Callie replies insistently, "I'm so sorry, Addie just doesn't know how not to meddle in other people's business."

Arizona laughs lightly, "Remember when I had to make my intentions clear to your Dad?" she says suddenly. "Addie's line of questioning made that look like a walk in the park."

"What did you say to her?" Callie's mouth is dry and she desperately needs a glass of water but it seems like Arizona may finally be willing to level with her so she doesn't get up from her seat opposite her.

"I told her the truth," she replies. "That my priority is getting Sofia settled and figuring out how this is going to work between us now that we both live in the same city again. I said that hopefully, we'd build a friendship between us again and that anything else isn't a factor."

"For now or forever?" Callie unknowingly echoes Addison's words from the car earlier and she can sense the sudden change in Arizona's demeanor before she replies.

"I'm sorry I can't -" Arizona scrambles up off her seat, looking panicked. "I've been in New York for all of a few hours and we shouldn't be having this conversation. I can't do this with you. Not again."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to -" Callie's voice falters and breaks. She didn't mean to.. what? Push too hard? Say the wrong thing?

"I'll see you in the morning, Calliope," the blonde answers softly. "You should try to get some rest. Sof's not gonna know what to do with all her excitement tomorrow."

Callie watches her leave and her head comes to rest against the cool granite countertop. If she thought sleep was hard in coming before, then she has no chance tonight now.

* * *

Sure enough, Callie spends the next couple of hours tossing and turning. She eventually falls into a restless sleep somewhere around 5 but is woken with a start just after 8:30 by Sof jumping excitedly on the bed. Sleep clinging to the edges of her vision, she invites her daughter to come and nap in her bed for a bit but Sofia only manages half an hour before she's awake again and asking to go wake her other momma.

Callie manages to convince her to let Arizona sleep in for a bit longer, by getting her to help make food for their brunch with Addie. Her ex-wife had had a long day traveling yesterday and one of them might as well not spend today sleep-deprived.

Selfishly, she's not sure she's ready to see her yet either, after the way they left their conversation in the early hours.

When Callie opens the door to Addie an hour later, her best friend looks her critically up and down. "Late night?" She smirks, obviously taking in her rumpled appearance and sleep-deprived state.

"Shut up," the Latina retorts, rolling her eyes and stepping aside so that the redhead can enter. "Please tell me one of those is for me," she gestures to the cup holder Addie is holding in one hand.

"Vanilla latte, with two pumps of hazelnut," Addison hands one of the cups to her, and Callie mutters her thanks, draining half the cup in about four mouthfuls. "I brought danish pastries from the farmers market too." She holds up the bag.

"There's not enough coffee in the world to keep me awake today," Callie says miserably, stifling a yawn even as she says it. "And yes, it was a late night - but not for the reasons you're thinking so just don't even go there." Her words are usually sharp and she doesn't miss the raised eyebrow she receives in response.

"Are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to guess?"

"Keep your voice down, she's still sleeping," Callie implores. "In the bedroom across the hall," she adds before her friend can start making inferences.

Addie narrows her eyes, "I thought she was booked into a hotel," she says casually.

"She was, but it was super late when we finished dinner. She doesn't know the city so it was easier. That's all it was." Callie finishes firmly, grabbing the coffee pot and leading the way through the open plan kitchen and out to the terrace. The last thing she needs right now is for Arizona to hear the conversation that Addie is undoubtedly going to drag out of her.

"So how was it?" Addison has barely made herself comfortable on one of the reclining loungers before she starts to question her.

"Weird at first," Callie defers to her interrogation. "I feel like I should have expected it, but with texting and calling again, I thought maybe we'd just slip back into being comfortable with each other."

"There's a lot of water under the bridge though. That's not something that's going to have vanished just because you're on speaking terms again. Everything is different now - you're different." Addie says patiently.

"I know," Callie sighs, hesitating over her next words and focusing her gaze on Sof who is sat on the terracotta tiles, drawing and paying them no attention. "She's seeing someone else." She says miserably, not meeting her friend's gaze.

Addie's eyes disappear into her hairline and she almost chokes on her coffee. Arizona had certainly kept that one quiet during her interrogation yesterday. "Is it serious? How's that going to work with Arizona in New York?"

Callie shakes her head, "I don't know. We didn't talk about it. Sof accidentally mentioned her at dinner and it made things awkward. I put her to bed, and when Arizona tried to address it, I told her it was none of my business." _Even though she very much wanted to make it her business._

* * *

It doesn't feel like she's been asleep for long when Arizona is woken by the sunlight streaming in through the blind. She rolls over in bed and stretches, allowing herself the luxury of sinking back down into the comfiest Egyptian Cotton she's ever slept in. Eyes heavy with sleep, she fumbles beneath her pillow, trying to locate her phone. Retrieving it, it takes a second for her eyes to adjust before she can tell the time. 11:18 am.

Her eyes widen because she can't remember the last time she'd managed to sleep in this late; certainly not since Sofia had moved back in with her. As she becomes more awake, she is aware of two things: one, the increasing need to empty her bladder, and two, the scent of pancakes emanating through the air.

Her stomach rumbles loudly and she remembers that they're supposed to be having brunch this morning with Addison. Fuelled by her hunger, she drags herself into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes to clear her blurred vision.

The room may be cast in sunlight but as soon as the duvet drops from around her body, her bare arms erupt into goosebumps. Summer is just around the corner, but they've had some remarkably chilly spring mornings. She catches sight of her reflection in the long hall mirror and winces; the long day yesterday - part of that stuck on a plane for several hours - has not been kind to her. She'd been planning on showering last night, but somewhere between sitting back down on the bed after her early morning snack and waking up that morning, she'd managed to fall asleep.

She drags herself out of bed, the cold instantly hitting her, and tentatively steps out into the hall. The first thing she notices is that Callie's bedroom door is already ajar and instinctively, she tugs her short shorts down, trying to make them cover more of her legs, the daylight making her feel self-conscious about her choice of pajamas. Pulling open the linen closet, Arizona is pleased to find a fluffy robe hanging on the inside of the door and selects that along with one of the softest towels.

Thirty-five minutes later, showered and with her hair in a damp bun, Arizona throws on a pair of leggings and the Hopkins sweater that has definitely seen better days. There's a hole in the sleeve and the print on the front has faded, and though Callie has tried on a number of occasions, she's been unwilling to part with it. The house is quiet and she frowns, fully expecting Sof to be operating on full excitement levels after a good night's sleep. As she nears the open-plan lounge-kitchen, she can hear the low hum of conversation. Through the doors leading out to the terrace, she can see Callie and Addie sat talking over a pot of coffee. Sofia is sat on the floor beneath the table, playing with her dolls and paying no attention to the grown-ups. Arizona is about to make her way out to join them but freezes hearing Addison say her name. They're talking about her and if she goes outside now it is just going to be one of those awkward moments where people hastily stop talking and change the subject. Uncomfortable for everyone involved.

But when she hears her name again, she can't quite bring herself to go back inside either.

* * *

"Righhhht," Addison rolls her eyes, drawing out the word like she knows what Callie is thinking. "Are you going to try to talk to her about it again?"

"Somehow I don't think that'd go down very well," the Latina answers gloomily. "I got up in the middle of the night and she was sat up in the kitchen. We started talking about your conversation yesterday -" Her words become more deliberate and Addison has the good grace to look guilty. "She told me what she said to you about us co-parenting and that nothing else was on the cards and I - I pushed her too far."

"What does that mean? Please tell me you didn't tell her you've fallen for her again!" She gives Callie a look, and when she doesn't reply sighs in exasperation. "Jeez Callie, she's been here all of 12 hours."

"I didn't," Callie snarks, "You don't have to make it sound like such a bad thing and for the love of God would you keep your damn voice down?" Her eyes dart nervously towards Sofia, who is more than old enough to understand their conversation. Sofia has been through enough ups and downs over the course of their relationship to last her a lifetime, without this getting her hopes up. Fortunately, she's now engrossed in a game on her tablet and is wearing a pair of oversized pink headphones. "I just asked her if she ever saw things going any differently between us."

Addie lets out a low whistle, replaying back her own conversation with Arizona. "Straight for the jugular then. Was she anymore forthcoming than she was with me?"

At her words, Callie's back straightens and all of her attention is now on her best friend. "Did she shut you down?"

Addie bites down on her lip, seemingly realizing this conversation is a bridge too far, and Callie watches her awkwardly stall for time by pouring herself another coffee. "I think this is between you and Arizona," she says eventually.

"Oh, so _now_ it's between me and Arizona," Callie's brows knit together in frustration and it's a struggle to keep her voice from rising.

"I resent that. It's not my fault your intentions towards her are less than honorable." She pauses. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again." Just then she notices Arizona stood just inside the doorway and draws attention to her. "Good morning, Arizona. We were beginning to think you'd decided to sleep until dinner!"

Callie's head jerks up so fast, that she almost spills her coffee. She shoots Addison a glance, that says quite plainly _we are not done talking about this_ and then nervously turns her attention to Arizona, whose face gives nothing away. _How much of that did she hear?_


End file.
